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NCAA Tournament Tidbits: 03.31.14 Edition

Posted by Griffin Wong on March 31st, 2014

March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

Florida‘s seniors have been knocking on the door of the Final Four for their entire careers, but this past weekend they finally sealed the deal. Though it has been a long road, the wait was definitely worth it.

The Gatorsshould be well-prepared for this weekend, as it has faced its three Final Four companions a total of five times this season (going 3-2).

From spectator to manager to walk-on, Florida’s Jacob Kurtz has been an integral part of the Gators because of his prowess on the scout team. However, Kurtz became more that that this season, as he filled in with 19.2 minutes per game in November when the Gators were decimated with injuries and suspensions.

Michigan State came in as the favorite, but UConn wanted to make sure it “hit first” against the Spartans. The Huskies did just that, and although they let up their early lead, they still found a way to take it back by the time the final buzzer sounded.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo’s streak of never having a four-year senior without a Final Four appearance may have ended, but that wasn’t what he was frustrated about yesterday. The Spartans’ nine-point second half lead vanished largely thanks to their poor shot selection and turnovers.

Michigan State seemed bound for the Final Four during much of yesterday’s second half, but it just couldn’t hang on to the lead. “We had 16 of the most out-of-body turnovers known to mankind,” Tom Izzo said. “I mean, you’re just not going to win games like that.” Whether it was a bad performance by the Spartans or a good one by the Huskies, the fact remains that Michigan State is going home.

Midwest Region

As the final seconds ticked away in Indianapolis, Kentucky freshman Aaron Harrison launched a contested NBA-range three in hopes of giving the Wildcats the lead. The shot dropped, and it took the Big Blue Nation to another Final Four.

Despite averaging fewer than six minutes per game this season, freshman Marcus Lee gave Kentucky an improbable boost off the bench, notching 10 points and eight rebounds in just 15 minutes of action. Though Lee may have been the “forgotten freshman,” he stepped up with starting center Willie Cauley-Stein unable to play.